Apparatus for operating on brush stocks

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION PROVIDES APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND CLAMPING BRUSH STOCKS IN A BRUSH MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A RELEASABLE STOP FOR SUPPORTING THE BRUSH STOCKS IN A GUIDE WHILE A CLAMPING DEVICE CLAMPS ONE STOCK TO BE OPERATED ON BY A TOOL, WHILE THE OPERATION BY THE TOOL IS BEING CARRIED OUT, THE STOP IS RELEASED TO DISCHARGE ONE BRUSH STOCK AND THEN IS REPOSITIONED TO AGAIN SUPPORT THE BRUSH STOCKS.

4 Sheets-Sheet l H. H. FULCHER June 6, 1972 APPARATUS Fon OPERATING oN BRUSH sTocxs Filed Aug. 13, 1970 June 6, 1972V H, H. F'ULCHER 3,661,809

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS FledAug. 13, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 6, 1972 H FAULCHER 3,667,809

APPARATUS Fon OPERATINGAON BRUSH sTocKs Filed Aug. 13, 1970 4 sheets-sheet s June 6, 1972 H. H. FuLcHx-:R

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Aug. 13 1970 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Harold Henry Fulcher, Havent, England, assignor to J. Evans & Son (Portsmouth) Limited, Portsmouth,

England Y Filed Aug. 13, 1970, Ser. No. 63,497 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 25, 1969, 42,274/69 Int. Cl. B25b 1/20 U.S. Cl. 300-11 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE y The invention provides apparatus for supporting and clamping brush stocks in a brush making machine comprising a releasable stop for supporting the brush stocks in a guide while a clamping device clamps one stock to be operated on by a tool, while the operation by the tool is being carried out, the stop is released to discharge one brush stock and then is repositioned to again support the brush stocks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus for operating on brush stocks and more particularly to secure them While the brush stocks are being operated on by tools in a bnush making machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides apparatus for supporting and clamping brush stocks to be operated on by a tool in a brush making machine comprising vertically disposed guide means down which a plurality of brush stocks are adapted to travel and be fed in succession past the tool which is intermittently operated, a releasable stop being provided for engaging the lowermost of the brush stocks thereby to support all the brush stocks which are disposed in superposed relation within the guide means, a clamping device also being provided for clamping the next to lowermost of the brush stocks in the guide means and hold it clamped while it is being operated on by the tool, the clamping device, stop and tool being automatically operated in timed sequence such that a cycle of operations is eiected comprising actuating the clamping device to clamp the next to lowermost brush stock, operating the tool to operate on said brush stock and while the tool is operating, releasing the stop to permit the lowermost brush stock to be discharged and thereafter repositioning the stop in its operative brush stock stock which has just been operated rests on the stop which o again serves to support all the brush stocks in the said guide means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front view of apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

\FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, of stock in the guides, certain components being omitted;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 with certain other components removed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 as viewed in the direction of the arrow A.

' FP Umted States Patent O ce Patente,

1l i y 2 .DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED 3,667,809 EMBODIMENTS v As illustrated in the drawings, the apparatus comprises a support 1 adapted tobe attached to or form part of a brush making machine, the support having a plate 2 secured `to its front face so as to co-operate with the adjacent portions-of the support to dene a 'vertically extending space 3 into which brush stocks T are adapted to be delivered and clamped against the rear face of the plate 2 as will hereinafter be described. c

A cylinder block 4 is mounted on the rear of the support 1, its front end Vopening into the space 3 through an aperture 4a in the rear wall of the support. The cylinder block is formed with stepped bores 5- and 6 and at its rear end is closed by a back plate 7 having a port 8 for connection to a supply of fluid pressure, a further por 9 being provided in the side Wall of the block. 1

A piston is reciprocably mounted in the cylinder block and includes a piston portion llLsliding in the bore 5 andra piston portion 11 of reduced diameter sliding in the bore 6. `Sealing means in the form of O rings 12, 13, are provided.

The rear endof the piston portion 10 is provided with an adjustable stop 14 and the forward end of the piston portion 11 is provided with an extension 15 slidable within the aperture 4a. Preferably-the extension 15 has at least one at side edge co-operating with an edge of the aperture 4a to prevent the piston rotating as it reciprocates. Adjustability of the stop 14 is obtained by means of a screw stud S which extends axially through the piston portions 10, 11, and extension 1'5, the rear end of the stud engaging a screw threaded recess in the stop `14. The forward end of the stud is accessible from the forward end of the extension 15 by removing the bolster 16, and accordingly the position of the stop can be readily adjusted without dismantling the piston from the apparatus.

A bolster 16 is attached to the forward end of the extension 15 so that its forward face is spaced from the inner face of the plate 2 and being adapted to clamp a. brush stock T vagainst the said inner face of the plate while the brush stock is being operated on by tools (not shown) of the brush making machine, for example, a lfilling tool, a trimming tool or a drill.

A brush stock supporting platform 17 is provided supported by a rod 18 connected with a piston operating in an air cylinder 19. The cylinder 19 is attached to a block 20 which is adjustably mounted on an arm 21 integral with an ejector element generally indicated by 22 and which is attached to the support 1. The block 20 is adinstable relative to the arm 21 by means of a post 23 carried by an extension'of the arm, the post extending into a recess in the block 20 and being adjustable by means of a knurled knob 24 and being securable in adjusted position by a locking nut 25.

In use, the piston 10, 11, and the rod 18 are reeiprocated in timed sequence to the operation of the brush making machine, for example, under the control of the main cam of the machine, which controls the operation of valves which regulate the supply of uid under pressure, for example, air into the bores 5 and 6 and air cylinder 19.

In FIG. 2 the parts are shown in the position at the start of an operation on the brush stock T which is located in alignment with a U-shaped opening 2a in the front plate 2. It will be noted that the brush stock T to be operated on is supported on a brush stock Tlwhich has previously been operated on and in this particular instance the brush stock T1 is shown as having been filled with bristles by a filling tool of the machine which is adapted to be mounted in alignment with the opening 2a so that in its reciprocating filling stroke it will pass into and out'of'the opening 2a to insert tufts of bristles into preformed holes in the brush-stock; As shown in FIG. 2, the piston 10, 11, is in its forward position so that the front end of the bolster engages ther back of the brush stock T to clamp it against-the inner face of the plate 2. 1

The clamped brush stock is then in position for operation by the tool (not shown) for example, a tuft filling tool.

During the time the tool is operating on the clamped brush stock, fluid underpressure is supplied to the piston in the cylinder 19 to effect the downward movement of the rod 18 to lower the p1atform17 and the completed brush stock Tl supported on the platform. As the new brush stock T is already tightly clamped by the bolster, the support of the completed brush stock T1 is Ano longer required. The new brush stock remains clamped by the bolster during the operation ofthe filling or other tool.

As the platform 17 is loweredparts of the completed brush stock T1 which project laterally of the ejector element 22 will abut the curved upper edges 22a of the opposed side walls-22h which serve to defiect the brush stock outwardly to fall into a receiving hopper or on to means for transferring the brushstock to another tool, for example, a trimming tool. During the time that the new brush stock isv being operated on, the platform 17 descends to eject the completed brush stock and then returns to its rest position indicated in FIG. 2. When the operation on the brush stock T has been completed, the fluid pressure supplied to the ports 8 and 9 is controlled so that the pressure in the bore 5 at the rear of the piston 10 is exhausted through the port 8 and fluid under pressure is delivered through the port 9 to retract the piston. This releases the clamping action on the brush stock T which falls by gravity to rest on the platform 17 and the next brush stock also falls by gravity to rest on the top of the brush stock on the platform. The new brush stock is accordingly aligned with the opening 2a. Fluid under pressure is now exhausted through the port 9 and delivered through the port 8 so that the piston 10, 11, is moved forwardly to cause the bolster 16 to clamp the new brush stock and hold it clamped while it is operated on by the tool. Immediately the clamping action is effected, the platform 17 is lowered as previously described and the cycle of operations repeated.

Preferably the ffront face of the bolster 16 is shaped according to that of the back of the brush stock it is to clamp so as to ensure eilicient clamping action and also to ensure that the brush stock will not be tilted or displaced as it is being clamped.

As is shown more particularly inFIG. 3, the back of the brush stock T has a hump-shaped protuberance and the front face of the bolster is provided wi-th two differently dimensioned projections 16a, 16b adapted to engage the brush stocks on opposite sides of the hump. It will be understood that the front face of the bolster would be'shaped differently vfor other types of brush stocks.

v The brush stocks can be fed by hand into thespace 3 but normally they would be fed automatically from a hopper or magazine such as illustrated in the drawings dand which, as shown, comprises two pairs of laterally spaced guide plates 26, 27, and end plates 28, 29. The I v26, 27, the forward fend of the head abutting the end plate l 28 and the tail abutting the end plate 29. As indicated in FIG. 3, the lplates 27 are carried by a bracket 30 adjustably mounted on a transverse plate 31 formingpart of the magazine. The bracket 30 is capable of adjustment .I

longitudinally of the plate and angularly relatively` thereto so as to accommodate differently shaped brush stocks.

The end plate 29 is carried by a stud 29a adjustably mounted on the bracketV 3i) to accommodate different lengths of brush stocks.

It will be understood that the magazine will be filled with brush stocks arranged on their sides with the face fwhich is to be operated on by the tools facing forwardly and during the operation of the apparatus Ythe brush'stocks will automatically fall into the space 3.

At the start 'of the operation of the apparatus, there will be a series of brush stocks in the space 3 arranged one above the other. The lowermost one of the series will be located on the platform and the one immediately above will be positioned in alignment with the opening 2a and therefore in alignment with the tool which is to operate on the brush stock. It will be understood that the lowermost brush stock indicated by T1 will not be operated on by the tool during the succeeding operation of the apparatus and in practice this brush stock may be ,one that has been operated on during the previous operation of the machine. l

During the operation of the apparatus, successive brush stocks will fall by gravity into alignment with the opening 2a and be clamped by the bolster 16 and remain clamped while they are operated on by the tool. During the operation by the tool, the platform 17 will be lowered to eject the brush stock positioned thereon and then raised, ready to receive the next brush stock until it is clamped by the bloster and the cycle of operations can be repeated indefinitely.

An end stop 31a is provided against which the head of the brush stock abuts when it is fed into alignment with the opening 2a.

As shown, the lower end of the end plate 29* carries a roller 32 which serves to support the tail of the brush stock which'is located on the platform 17.

To enable the stroke of the piston 10, 11, to be varied to suit brush stocks of different cross-section, the stop 14 is adjustable in an axial direction relative to the piston portion 10 as explained above.

If desired, the downward movement of the brush stocks within the space 3 may be assisted by jets of air directed at an acute angle to the front and rear faces of the brush stocks. A nozzle N1 for producing one of the jets is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

Instead of the platform 17 being mounted for reciprocating movement in a vertical direction, it may be pivotally mounted and adapted to be raised into a horizontal plane for receiving a brush stockand lowered to permit the brush stock to slide downwardly over the platform into a receiving hopper or on to transfer means. The pivoted platform may be actuated by any suitable means.

lVith reference to the second embodiment-of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, parts corresponding to those illustrated'in the drawings of the first embodiment are given similar reference numerals with the addition of the suix x.

The principal difference in the second embodiment is the means for feeding the brush stocks T to thespace 3x. As shown, the magazine or hopper comprises vertically upstanding guide plates and the brush stocks are stacked in superposed relation in the area defined by these plates so as to fall one at a time on to a horizontal table surface indicated by 33. The forward end of the table surface and the adjacent portion of the support 1x is cut away to form a downwardly sloping ramp 34 leading to the space 3x.

A pusher 35 is mounted for sliding movement over the table surface 33 and connected to a rod 36 of a piston 37 reciprocating in a cylinder 38 to which fluid under pressure, for example, air is supplied through a port 39. The supply of fluid pressure is controlled in timed sequence Vto the operation of the brush making machine so that the piston is intermittently moved forward, that is to the left as viewed in FIG. 5, to slide the pusher 35 forwardly over the table surface and move the lowermost brush stock in the magazine forwardly until it is tipped over the forward edge of the table surface so as to slide down the ramp 34 onto the space 3x. Air jets from a pipe 40 are directed on to the brush stock as it moves down the ramp.

Means for supporting the lowermost brush stock in the space 3x is also modied and, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an adjustable stop 41 is carried on an arm 42 pivoted at 43 for swinging movement in a horizontal plane. The arm is connected to a rod 44 of a piston by a yoke 45 operating in a cylinder 46.

In use, when the brush stock to be operated on by the tools has been clamped by the bolster 116x, fluid under pressure is supplied to the cylinder 46 to swing the arm 42 in a direction to move the stop 41 from supporting relation with respect to the brush stock which accordingly falls by gravity into a receiving hopper or on to transfer means for moving the brush stock to another station where it is to be operated on, for example, trimmed. During the time the clamped brush stock is being operated on by the tool, the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder 46 is reversed to swing the arm 44 back to the position indicated in the drawings so that the stop 41 is again positioned for supporting a brush stock when the operation of the tool is completed and the clamping action of the bolster released.

It will also be noted that, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner face of the front plate 2x is cut away to form a recess 47 shaped to accommodate the shape of the portion of the brush stock which is clamped.

It will be understood that ports for the supply of liuid under pressure will be provided in the piston portions 5x, 6x, similar to those referred to in the lirst embodiment and an adjustable stop similar to 14 of the first embodiment may also be provided. The ports and the adjustable stop have been omitted from FIGS. 5 and 6 for reasons of clarity but it is to be understood that they will take forms identical with those of the corresponding parts described above with reference to FIGS. l-4.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting and clamping brush stocks to be operated on by an intermittently operated tool in a brush making machine comprising a vertically disposed guide, means for feeding a plurality of brush stocks down said guide, a releasable stop for engaging the lowermost of the brush stocks in said guide thereby to support all the brush stocks which are disposed in said guide, a clamping device for clamping the next to lowermost of the brush stocks in the guide and hold it clamped while it is being operated on, and means for operating said stop and said clamping device in timed sequence such that a cycle of operations is effected comprising actuating the clamping device to clamp the next to lowermost brush stock while it is operated on, releasing the stop to permit the lowermost brush stock to be discharged and thereafter repositioning the stop in its operative brush stock supporting position, and at the completion of the operation on the brush stock, releasing the clamping device to permit the brush stocks in said guide to fall by gravity so that the lowermost brush stock, which has just been operated on, rests on the stop which again serves to support al1 the brush stocks in the said guide.

2. Apparatus for supporting and clamping brush stocks to be operated on by a tool in a brush making machine, the apparatus comprising in combination a guide for receiving a plurality of brush stocks, said guide having an entrance and exit for said brush stocks, a discharge position in said guide immediately adjacent said exit, said discharge position receiving each brush stock in said guide after the brush stock has been operated on, means adjacent said exit for controlling the discharge therefrom of a brush stock in said discharge position, an operate position in said guide adjacent said discharge position, and clamping means located in said operate position for clamping a brush stock in that position during operation by said tool.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for controlling the discharge comprises a vertically movable rod, having an upper and a lower end, a horizontal platform secured to said upper end, and means secured to said lower end for effecting reciprocation of said rod.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising position adjusting means for adjusting the position of said paltform relative to said exit.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said clamping means comprises brush stock locating surfaces, a piston-cylinder arrangement and a clamping bolster operable by said piston-cylinder arrangement for clamping a brush stock against said locating surfaces.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim S and further comprising stop means adjustably mounted in said pistoncylinder arrangement for etfecting Variation of the stroke thereof.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said guide comprises a vertically extending magazine for feeding said brush stocks by gravity to a horizontal feed plate, a reciprocating pusher being provided for moving each brush stock along the feed plate towards said operating position.

t8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein a sloping ramp is provided at the end of said feed plate leading to said guide.

`9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein a sloping ramp is provided at the end of said feed plate and an air nozzle is provided for directing air on to the brush stooks on said feed plate and said ramp to assist their movement towards said operating position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,306,670 2/1967 Zahoransky 300-11 3,279,858` 10/1966 Parker 300--11 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner 

